OPERATOR'S MANUAL

Further Controls Explained

Lh Digital Display (2)
Before welding, displays welding voltage (V), crater voltage or time (S), depending on the parameter being adjusted. During welding, displays welding voltage. The parameter displayed is indicated by the LED below the display. If left inactive for several seconds, display will revert back to main welding voltage setting.

Crater Fill Function (3) (6)
This is enabled in MIG 4T trigger mode and allows output voltage and wire speed values independent of the main welding values to be set that are enabled when the torch trigger is held before releasing to stop the arc in 4T trigger mode. As the name implies, this is used to create a smooth finish to a weld, especially when welding thicker material at high amperage where the instant stop of the welding current would normally create a 'crater' in the weld bead. These set-tings would normally be set lower than the main wire feed and voltage settings.

Rh Digital Display (7)
Before welding, displays wire feeding speed, crater wire feed or current, depending on the parameter being adjusted. During welding, displays welding current. The parameter displayed is indicated by the LED below the display. If left inactive for several seconds, display will revert back to main welding voltage setting.

Alarm Indicator (9)
Lights when over voltage, over current, input phase loss or electrical overheating (due to exceeding duty cycle) is detected and protection is activated. When protection is activated, welding output will be disabled until the safety system senses the overload has reduced sufficiently and indicator lamp goes out. May also trigger if machine experiences an internal power circuit failure.

Air Check Button (10)
The button is used to check whether the gas supply is normal. After pressing the key, if the gas supply is normal, there will be a jet at the welding gun. If the gas supply is abnormal, there will be no gas flow at the muzzle of the welding gun.

Manual Wire Button (11)
The button is used for manual wire feeding. In general, when replacing the new welding wire, it will be used when it is installed and will be more convenient. In addition, during wire feeding, the welding wire has not been output, which increases the safety.

2T/4T selector button (12)
2T mode: the trigger is pulled and held on to activate the welding circuit, when the trigger is released, the welding circuit stops. 4T is known as 'latching' mode. The trigger is pulled once and released to activate the welding circuit, pulled and released again to stops the welding circuit. This function is useful to longer welds as the trigger is not required to be held on continuously.

Mig Parameter Selection Button (13)
This button selects the following welding parameters, which are displayed on the LH display (2) and adjusted using the LH control knob (16).

• Pre flow: Controls the period shielding gas will flow for when the torch is triggered before the arc starts. This purges the work area of atmospheric gas which could contaminate the weld before the weld starts. Unit (S). Range: 0-5.
• Post flow: Controls the period of time the shielding gas continues to flow for after the arc is stopped. This protects the weld area from contamination while it is still hot enough to react with atmospheric gases, after the weld is finished. Unit (S). Range: 0-10.
• Soft start: Sometimes known as 'hot start'. When a weld is started, the workpiece and the wire will be 'cold' compared to welding temperature, this can cause an uneven and poor start to the weld using the voltage and wire feed speed selected as optimal once the arc is established. This setting slows the wire speed down at the start of the weld which improves the weld starting performance. Range: 0-10.
• Burn back: Burn back adjustment controls the short period of time that the wire feed will continue to run for after the main welding current stops. If the wire feed and current is stopped at exactly the same time, the wire will still be hot and 'burn' back and stick to the welding tip. If this problem is happening, increasing the burn back adjustment will cause the wire feeder to run for longer after the arc has stopped. If the burn back is adjustment is excessive, after a weld is stopped, the operator will be left with excess 'stickout' wire length from the torch tip that will require correcting before starting the next weld. Range: 0-10.

MIG Wave Control/ Inductance Knob (14)
This setting changes the MIG waveform to simulate changing the inductance of the welding circuit. Inductance controls the rate of the current rise and fall as the welding wire contacts the workpiece (known as a short circuit). More inductance increases the short circuit time and decreases the short circuit frequency rate. This causes a wider and more penetrating arc, useful for thicker weld joints. Less inductance will create a narrow more focused arc. This effect can also be used to fine tune the arc to produce less splat-ter. Wire speed, wire size and type, shielding gas will all change the effect that the inductance setting has on the welding arc. Inductance change will have no practical effect on MIG spray transfer process (as op-posed to short circuit process).

Rh Parameter Adjustment/ Selector Knob (15)
Control parameters displayed on the RH display screen (7). Pressing the knob will switch between parameters displayed.

Lh Parameter Adjustment/ Selector Knob (16)
Control parameters displayed on the LH display screen (2). Pressing the knob will switch between parameters displayed.

§4.1.1 Set up installation for MIG Welding

Diagram: Shows connection points for the welding machine and wire feeder.

1. Insert the earth cable plug into the negative socket on the front of the machine and tighten it.
2. Plug the welding torch into the MIG torch connection socket on the front panel of the wire feeder, and tighten it.
   IMPORTANT: When connecting the torch be sure to tighten the connection. A loose connection can result in the connector arcing and damaging the machine and gun connector.
3. Connect the gas line to gas connector on the rear panel of wire feeder. Check for Leaks!
4. Connect the control cable of wire feeder with the aero socket on the front panel of welding machine.
5. Connect the cable of wire feeder with the positive output of welding machine.
6. Connect the gas regulator to the Gas Cylinder and connect the gas line to the Gas Regulator. Check for Leaks!
7. Connect the power cable of welding machine with the output switch in electric box on site.

Image: Shows a wire spool on a holder.

(8) Place wire onto spool holder - (spool retaining nut is left hand thread) Feed wire through the inlet guide tube on to the drive roller.

Image: Shows the wire feeder rollers.

(9) Feed wire over the drive roller into the outlet guide tube, Push the wire through approx 150mm.

Image: Shows the wire feeder rollers and pressure arm.

(10) Close down the top roller bracket and clip the pressure arm into place with a medium amount of pressure applied.

Image: Shows a hand holding the end of a MIG torch.

(11) Remove the gas nozzle and contact tip from the front end of the MIG torch.

Diagram: Shows the front panel of the wire feeder with trigger mode selection (2T/4T) and manual wire feed button.

(12) Press and hold the manual wire key to feed the wire down the torch cable through to the torch head.

Image: Shows the MIG torch tip.

(13) Fit the correct size contact tip over the wire and fasten tightly into the tip holder.

Image: Shows the MIG torch head with gas nozzle.

(14) Fit the gas nozzle to the torch head.

Diagram: Shows a gas cylinder with regulator and valve.

(15) Carefully open the gas cylinder valve and set the required gas flow rate.

(16) Select torch trigger mode: 2t or 4T.

(17) Select the required welding parameters using the knobs and buttons.

§4.1.2 Wire Feed Roller Selection

The importance of smooth consistent wire feeding during MIG welding cannot be emphasized enough. Simply put the smoother the wire feed then the better the welding will be.

Feed rollers or drive rollers are used to feed the wire mechanically along the length of the welding gun. Feed rollers are designed to be used for certain types of welding wire and they have different types of grooves machined in them to accommodate the different types of wire. The wire is held in the groove by the top roller of the wire drive unit and is referred to as the pressure roller, pressure is applied by a tension arm that can be adjusted to increase or decrease the pressure as required. The type of wire will determine how much pressure can be applied and what type of drive roller is best suited to obtain optimum wire feed.

Solid Hard Wire - like Steel, Stainless Steel requires a drive roller with a V shape groove for optimum grip and drive capability. Solid wires can have more tension applied to the wire from the top pressure roller that holds the wire in the groove and the V shape groove is more suited for this. Solid wires are more forgiving to feed due to their higher cross sectional column strength, they are stiffer and don't bend so easy.

Soft Wire - like aluminum requires a U shape groove. Aluminum wire has a lot less column strength, can bend easily and is therefore more difficult to feed. Soft wires can easily buckle at the wire feeder where the wire is fed into inlet guide tube of the torch. The U-shaped roller offers more surface area grip and traction to help feed the softer wire. Softer wires also require less tension from the top pressure roller to avoid deforming the shape of the wire, too much tension will push the wire out of shape and cause it to catch in the contact tip.

Flux Core/ Gasless Wire - these wires are made up of a thin metal sheath that has fluxing and metal compounds layered onto it and then rolled into a cylinder to form the finished wire. The wire cannot take too much pressure from the top roller as it can be crushed and deformed if too much pressure is applied. A knurled drive roller has been developed and it has small serrations in the groove, the serrations grip the wire and assist to drive it without too much pressure from the top roller. The down side to the knurled wire feed roller on flux cored wire is it will slowly over time eat away at the surface of the welding wire, and these small pieces will eventually go down into the liner. This will cause clogging in the liner and added friction that will lead to welding wire feed problems. A U groove wire can also be used for flux core wire without the wire particles coming of the wire surface. However it is considered that the knurled roller will give a more positive feed of flux core wire without any deformation of the wire shape.

Diagram: Illustrates three types of wire feed roller grooves: V Groove, U Groove, and Knurled Groove, each shown with a 'Top Pressure Roller' and 'Wire'.

§4.1.3 Wire Installation and Set Up Guide

Again the importance of smooth consistent wire feeding during MIG welding cannot be emphasized enough. The correct installation of the wire spool and the wire into the wire feed unit is critical to achieving an even and consistent wire feed. A high percentage of faults with MIG welders emanate from poor set up of the wire into the wire feeder. The guide below will assist in the correct setup of your wire feeder.

Image: Shows a hand holding a spool retaining nut.

(1) Remove the spool retaining nut.

Image: Shows the spool holder with tension spring adjuster and locating pin.

(2) Note the tension spring adjuster and spool locating pin.

Image: Shows a wire spool being fitted onto the holder.

(3) Fit the wire spool onto the spool holder fitting the locating pin into the location holeon the spool. Replace the spool retaining nut tightly.

Image: Shows the wire feeder mechanism with wire being fed.

(4) Snip the wire carefully, be sure to hold the wire to prevent the spool uncoiling. Carefully feed the wire into the inlet guide tube of the wire feed unit.

Image: Shows the wire feeder rollers with wire being fed through.

(5) Feed the wire through the drive roller and into the outlet guide tube of the wire feeder.

Image: Shows the wire feeder rollers and pressure arm adjustment.

(6) Lock down the top pressure roller and apply a medium amount of pressure Using the tension adjustment knob.

Image: Shows the outlet guide tube adjustment.

(7) Check that the wire passes through the centre of the outlet guide tube without touching the sides. Loosen the locking screw and then loosen the outlet guide tube retaining nut too make adjustment if required. Carefully retighten the locking nut and screw to hold the new position.

Image: Shows a hand holding a bent wire end to test tension.

(8) A simple check for the correct drive tension is to bend the end of the wire over hold it about 100mm from your hand and let it run into your hand, it should coil round in your hand without stopping and slipping at the drive rollers, increase the tension if it slips.

Image: Shows a wire spool with wire looping over the side.

(9) The weight and speed of the wire spool turning creates an inertia that can cause the spool to run on and the wire loop over the side of the spool and tangle. if this happens increase the pressure on the tension spring inside the spool holder assembly using the tension adjustment screw.

§4.1.4 MIG Torch Liner Types and Information

MIG Torch Liners
The liner is both one of the simplest and most important components of a MIG gun. Its sole purpose is to guide the welding wire from the wire feeder, through the gun cable and up to the contact tip.

Steel Liners
Most MIG gun liners are made from coiled steel wire also known as piano wire, which provides the liner with good rigidity and flexibility and allows it to guide the welding wire smoothly through the welding cable as it bends and flex during operational use. Steel liners are primarily used for feeding of solid steel wires, other wires such as Aluminum, Silicon Bronze etc, will perform better using a Teflon or Polyamide line. The internal diameter of the liner is important and relative to the wire diameter being used and will assist in smooth feeding and prevention of the wire kinking and birdnesting at the drive rollers. Also bending the cable too tightly during welding increases the friction between the liner and the welding wire making it more difficult to push the wire through the liner resulting in poor wire feeding, prematureliner wear and birdnesting. Dust, grime and metal particles can accumulate inside the liner over time and cause friction and blockages, it is recommended to periodically blow out the liner with compressed air.

Small diameter welding wires, 0.6mm through 1.0mm have relatively low columnar strength, and if matched with an oversized liner, can cause the wire to wander or drift within the liner. This in turn leads to poor wire feeding and premature liner failure due to excessive wear. By contrast, larger diameter welding wires, 1.2mm through 2.4mm have much higher columnar strength but it is important to make sure the liner has enough internal diameter clearance. Most manufacturers will produce liners sized to match wire diameters and length of welding torch cable and most are color coded to suit.

Diagram: Shows four colored lines representing Steel Liners with their corresponding wire diameters: Blue (0.6mm-0.8mm), Red (0.9mm-1.2mm), Yellow (1.6mm), Green (2.0mm-2.4mm).

Teflon and Polyamide (PA) Liners
Teflon liners are well suited for feeding soft wires with poor column strength like Aluminum wires. The interiors of these liners are smooth and provide stable feed ability, especially on small diameter welding wire Teflon can be good for higher heat applications that utilize water-cooled torches and brass neck liners. Teflon has good abrasion resistance characteristics and can be used with a variety of wire types such as silicon bronze, stainless steel as well as Aluminum. A note of caution to careful inspect the end of the welding wire prior to feeding it down the liner. Sharp edges and burrs can score the inside of the liner and lead to blockages and accelerated wear. Polyamide Liners (PA) are made of carbon infused nylon and ideal for softer aluminum, copper alloy welding wires and push pull torch applications. These liners are generally fitted with a floating collet to allow the liner to be inserted all the way to the feed rollers.

Diagram: Shows three colored lines representing Teflon Liners with their corresponding wire diameters: Blue (0.6mm-0.8mm), Red (0.9mm-1.2mm), Yellow (1.6mm).

Diagram: Shows a PA Liner with its corresponding wire diameter: Black (1.0mm-1.6mm).

Copper - Brass Neck Liners
For high heat applications fitting brass or copper wound jumper or neck liner on the end of the liner at the neck end will increase the working temperature of the liner as well as improve the electrical conductivity of the welding power transfer to the wire.

Diagram: Shows a Neck Liner.

§4.1.5 MIG Welding

Definition of MIG Welding
MIG (metal inert gas) welding also known as GMAW (gas metal arc welding) or MAG (metal active gas welding), is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process in which a continuous and consumable wire electrode and a shielding gas are fed through a welding gun. A constant voltage, direct current power source is most commonly used with MIG welding. There are four primary methods of metal transfer in MIG welding, called short circuit (also known as dip transfer) globular transfer, spray transfer and pulsed-spray, each of which has distinct properties and corresponding advantages and limitations. To perform MIG welding, the basic necessary equipment is a welding gun, a wire feed unit, a welding power supply, an electrode wire, and a shielding gas supply.

Short Circuit Transfer - Short circuit transfer is the most common used method whereby the wire electrode is fed continuously down the welding torch through to and exiting the contact tip. The wire touches the work piece and causes a short circuit the wire heats up and begins to form a molten bead, the bead separates from the end of the wire and forms a droplet that is transferred into the weld pool. This process is repeated about 100 times per second, making the arc appear constant to the human eye.

Diagram: Illustrates the Short Circuit Transfer process. Shows three stages: 1. 'short circuit' where the wire touches the workpiece. 2. 'wire heating' where resistance builds up. 3. 'magnetic field pinches wire' where the current flow pinches the melting wire into a droplet.

Diagram: Continues the Short Circuit Transfer illustration. Shows three more stages: 1. 'droplet separates' and falls into the weld pool. 2. 'arc flattens the droplet' as the arc is created. 3. 'cycle repeats' as wire feed speed overcomes heat and the wire approaches the work again.

Basic MIG Welding
Good weld quality and weld profile depends on gun angle, direction of travel, electrode extension (stick out), travel speed, thickness of base metal, wire feed speed and arc voltage. To follow are some basic guides to assist with your setup.

Gun Position - Travel Direction, Work Angle: Gun position or technique usually refers to how the wire is directed at the base metal, the angle and travel direction chosen. Travel speed and work angle will determine the characteristic of the weld bead profile and degree of weld penetration.

Push Technique - The wire is located at the leading edge of the weld pool and pushed towards the un-melted work surface. This technique offers a better view of the weld joint and direction of the wire into the weld joint. Push technique directs the heat away from the weld puddle allowing faster travel speeds providing a flatter weld profile with light penetration - useful for welding thin materials. The welds are wider and flatter allowing for minimal clean up/grinding time.

Perpendicular Technique - The wire is fed directly into the weld, this technique is used primarly for automated situations or when conditions make it necessary. The weld profile is generally higher and a deeper penetration is achieved.

Drag Technique - The gun and wire is dragged away from the weld bead. The arc and heat is concentrated on the weld pool, the base metal receives more heat, deeper melting, more penetration and the weld profile is higher with more build up.

Diagram: Illustrates three welding techniques: (A) Push Technique, (B) Gun Perpendicular, (C) Drag Technique. Each shows the gun angle and travel direction, and the resulting weld bead profile (Flat even weld profile, Narrower weld profile, Narrow higher weld profile).

Travel Angle - Travel angle is the right to left angle relative to the direction of welding. A travel angle of 5°- 15° is ideal and produces a good level of control over the weld pool. A travel angle greater than 20° will give an unstable arc condition with poor weld metal transfer, less penetration, high levels of spatter, poor gas shield and poor quality finished weld.

Diagram: Illustrates different travel angles: 'Angle 5°- 15°' (Good level of control over the weld pool, even flat weld), 'Not enough angle' (Less control over the weld pool more spatter), 'Angle more than 20°' (Poor control, unstable arc, less penetration, lots of spatter).

Angle to Work - The work angle is the forward back angle of the gun relative to the work piece. The correct work angle provides good bead shape, prevents undercut, uneven penetration, poor gas shield and poor quality finished weld.

Diagram: Illustrates different work angles: 'Correct angle' (Good level of control over the weld pool, even flat weld), 'Not enough angle' (Less control over the weld pool more spatter), 'Too much angle' (Poor control, unstable arc, less penetration, lots of spatter).

Stick Out- Stick out is the length of the unmelted wire protruding from the end of the contact tip. A constant even stick out of 5-10mm will produce a stable arc, and an even current flow providing good penetration and even fusion. Too short stick out will cause an unstable weld pool, produce spatter and over heat the contact tip. Too long stick out will cause an unstable arc, lack of penetration, lack of fusion and increase spatter.

Diagram: Illustrates stick out: 'Normal stick out' (Even arc, good penetration even fusion, good finis.), 'Too short' (Unstable arc, spatter, over heat contact tip.), 'Too long' (Unstable arc, spatter, poor penetration and fusion.). Includes a measurement indicator for 5-10mm.

Travel Speed - Travel speed is the rate that the gun is moved along the weld joint and is usually measured in mm per minute. Travel speeds can vary depending on conditions and the welder's skill and is limited to the welder's ability to control the weld pool. Push technique allows faster travel speeds than Drag technique. Gas flow must also correspond with the travel speed, increasing with faster travel speed and decreasing with slower speed. Travel speed needs to match the amperage and will decrease as the material thickness and amperage increase.

Too Fast Travel Speed - A too fast travel speed produces too little heat per mm of travel resulting in less penetration and reduced weld fusion, the weld bead solidifies very quickly trapping gases inside the weld metal causing porosity. Undercutting of the base metal can also occur and an unfilled groove in the base metal is created when the travel speed is too fast to allow molten metal to flow into the weld crater created by the arc heat.

Diagram: Shows characteristics of 'Too Fast Travel Speed': high narrow bead, undercut, spatter, porosity, lack of fusion, lack of joint penetration.

Too Slow Travel Speed - A too slow travel speed produces a large weld with lack of penetration and fusion. The energy from the arc dwells on top of the weld pool rather than penetrating the base metal. This produces a wider weld bead with more deposited weld metal per mm than is required resulting in a weld deposit of poor quality.

Diagram: Shows characteristics of 'Too Slow Travel Speed': large wide bead, porosity, cold lap, lack of fusion, lack of joint penetration.

Correct Travel Speed - The correct travel speed keeps the arc at the leading edge of the weld pool allowing the base metal to melt sufficiently to create good penetration, fusion and wetting out of the weld pool producing a weld deposit of good quality.

Diagram: Shows characteristics of 'Correct Travel Speed': even shaped bead, good toe fusion, good side wall fusion, good penetration.

Wire types and sizes - Use the correct wire type for the base metal being welded. Use stainless steel wire for stainless steel, Aluminum wires for Aluminum and steel wires for steel.

Use a smaller diameter wire for thin base metals. For thicker materials use a larger wire diameter and larger machine, check the recommended welding capability of your machine. As a guide refer to the "Welding Wire Thickness Chart” below.

For material thickness of 5.0mm and greater, multi-pass runs or a beveled joint design may be required depending on the amperage capability of your machine.

Gas selection - The purpose of the gas in the MIG process is to protect / shield the wire, the arc and the molten weld metal from the atmosphere. Most metals when heated to a molten state will react with the air in the atmosphere, without the protection of the shielding gas the weld produced would contain defects like porosity, lack of fusion and slag inclusions. Additionally some of the gas becomes ionized (electrically charged) and helps the current flow smoothly.

The correct gas flow is also very important in protecting the welding zone from the atmosphere. Too low flow will give inadequate coverage and result in weld defects and unstable arc conditions. Too high flow can cause air to be drawn into the gas column and contaminate the weld zone.

Use the correct shielding gas. CO2 is good for steel and offers good penetration characteristics, the weld profile is narrower and slightly more raised than the weld profile obtained from Argon CO2 mixed gas. Argon CO2 mix gas offers better weld ability for thin metals and has a wider range of setting tolerance on the machine. Argon 80% CO2 20% is a good all round mix suitable for most applications.

Diagram: Shows two penetration patterns for steel: one for 'Argon CO2' and one for 'CO2'.

§4.2 Operation environment

• Height above sea level ≤1000 M.
• Operation temperature range -10~+40°C.
• Air relative humidity is below 90% (20°C).
• Preferable site the machine some angles above the floor level, the maximum angle does not exceed 15°.
• Protect the machine against heavy rain and against direct sunshine.
• The content of dust, acid, corrosive gas in the surrounding air or substance cannot exceed normal standard.
• Take care that there is sufficient ventilation during welding. There must be at least 30cm free distance between the machine and wall.

§4.3 Operation Notices

• Read Section §1 carefully before starting to use this equipment.
• Connect the ground wire with the machine directly.
• Ensure that the input is single-phase: 50/60Hz, 230V ±10%.
• Before operation, none concerned people should not be around the working area and especially children. Do not watch the arc in unprotected eyes.
• Ensure good ventilation of the machine to improve Duty Cycle.
• Turn off the engine when the operation finished for energy consumption efficiency.
• When power switch shuts off protectively because of failure. Don't restart it until problem is resolved. Otherwise, the range of problem will be extended.
• In case of problems, contact your local dealer if no authorized maintenance staff is available!

§5.1 MIG welding trouble shooting

The following chart addresses some of the common problems of MIG welding. In all cases of equipment malfunction, the manufacturer's recommendations should be strictly adhered to and followed.

§5.2 MIG wire feed trouble shooting

The following chart addresses some of the common WIRE FEED problems during MIG welding. In all cases of equipment malfunction, the manufacturer's recommendations should be strictly adhered to and followed.

§6.1 Maintenance

In order to guarantee safe and proper operation of welding machines, they must be maintained regularly. Let customers understand the maintenance procedure of welding machines. Enable customers to carry on simple examination and inspections. Do your best to reduce the fault rate and repair times of welding machines to lengthen service life of arc welding machine. Maintenance items in detail are in the following table.

Warning: For safety while maintaining the machine, please shut off the main input power and wait for 5 minutes, until capacitors voltage already drop to safe voltage 36V!

§6.2 Troubleshooting

Before the welding machines are dispatched from the factory, they have already been tested and calibrated accurately. It is forbidden for anyone who is not authorized by our company to do any change to the equipment!

Maintenance course must be operated carefully. If any wire becomes flexible or is misplaced, it maybe potential danger to user!

Only professional maintenance staff that is authorized by our company could overhaul the machine!

Be sure to shut off the Main Input Power before doing any repair work on the welding machine!

If there is any problem and there is no authorized professional maintenance personal on site, please contact local agent or the distributor!

If there are some simple troubles with the welding machine, you can consult the following Chart:

§6.3 List of error code